


Caring Through Words and Fists

by smithy_of_words



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Families of Choice, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 15:04:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2029548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smithy_of_words/pseuds/smithy_of_words
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aveline and Carver go through a conflict with their words and fists in the guardsmen's practice ring.<br/>Maybe now wounds can begin to heal.<br/>A short study on families of choice and how being caring and strong are not mutually exclusive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caring Through Words and Fists

Carver’s eyes widened in surprise as Aveline grabbed him by the shoulders of his tunic, shoving him into the barrack’s wall with a thud.

"What the hell was that for?"

Aveline’s eyes narrowed, but she removed her hands, “You are so undisciplined. This is why you can’t be in the guard. You strike too much from your shoulders—any enemy will see you coming, and it’s a waste of energy. Conserve your momentum and use your forearm as you would if you were fencing. Come back in a few days once you’ve practiced.”

Aveline looked at Carver up and down, then turned to return to her office, sighing. It had been a long day of dealing with training, paperwork, and assigning new patrols to deal with some Carta dwarves that were terrorizing refugees in Darktown. Time to take a break.

But Carver wasn’t having any of it; striding purposefully toward Aveline, he lifted his wooden practice sword and struck her right shoulder blade. He looked shocked at what he had done, but he couldn’t take it back now.

Some guards nearby saw what had happened and rushed to watch. The Captain was going to straighten this Ferelden whelp out. 

Aveline stopped where she stood, considering her options. 

Turning around with a flourish, she grabbed the wooden blade from Carver’s hands, and summarily threw it to the ground with a clatter.

"Okay, Carver. You want to prove yourself to me: we fight with honor, as equals. No weapons. No tricks."

Carver swallowed, raising his fists before him in a defensive stance.

Aveline matched his footwork opposite him, as she would playing chess. Here, she was as a queen: the most powerful and most valued. Before her was a knight, strong, but blunted and limited in his strength. 

Aveline noticed a gap in Carver’s stance and strode forward to strike at his unprotected flank. He noticed, but it was a bit too late—he moved back, his footing becoming unbalanced.

While attempting to regain his balance, Carver leaned forward, repositioning his feet. Aveline snaked diagonally around him, striking the back of his knee with her boot heel. 

Carver landed in an undignified heap on the training ground’s dirt floor. 

Aveline knelt next to him, pinning his shoulders to the ground.

Snapping her head up, she glanced around her, taking in the guards with their mouths gaping. Surely she wouldn’t make them leave—this was the best part!

But with the narrowing of her eyes and a toss of her head, soon the ground was empty, save for Carver and herself.

Gripping Carver’s forearms, she pulled him to a sitting position.

"Come on, you foolish man. Let’s go. Hawke and Leandra will be wondering where you go off to."

Carver stared up at Aveline, but didn’t seem to see her. Instead, he was looking far ahead. Through her, to the Vimark Mountains, the Anderfels, into the fade…

Aveline saw his eyes turn glassy with remembering, with old possibilities, Ostagar, and the Blight. Her stern face softened slightly, and without really meaning to, her arms were around him.

Carver snapped out of his state at the woman’s touch.

Aveline, sitting in the dirt next to him, queen of her neatly ordered chessboard, was holding him to her chest, resting her chin upon his crown of black hair.

Carver tried to remember the last time he had been held like this—with real affection and caring—not the kind he would sometimes pay for at the Blooming Rose.

He was held and he remembered.

Nightmares in Lothering.

His first swordfighting injury.

The barn and that girl.

Preparing to leave for Ostagar.

Coming home after their betrayal and the King’s death.

His father, Bethany, the boat, stealing like common thieves…

All of his past seemed to hit him at once, harder than any weapon’s blow.

Aveline felt her tunic front grow wet with tears, and she gripped Carver tighter, whispering  _shooshing_  sounds, as one would calm a baby.

"It’s all right. You’ll be all right."

Carver tried to wipe furiously at his eyes, his face red with shame, and wet with tears. This was unbecoming of a man—a warrior.

Aveline took his face in her hands, looking intently at him.

"Carver, you listen to me closely. No one can take away your memories from you or tell you how close to hold your loved ones. That’s your business and no one else’s—not Hawke’s, or Varric’s, or your mother’s. We are survivors, you and I, but not for ourselves. We’ve spent so long doing nothing but living for others—our King, our families, our new home, and our new lives—even strangers. But it’s not all there is in life."

She removed an old handkerchief she had found on her earlier travels with Hawke, and wiped Carver’s face.

"We have a life here, ourselves, and maybe love. New beginnings. 

You might not have a place with the guard, but you have a place by my side, and Hawke’s—even with that rag-tag band of followers. Even Anders and Fenris.”

Carver chuckled at that a bit.

Aveline smiled softly, helping Carver to his feet, “…and that’s me done. I’m not a Chanty sister or viscount—I don’t do speeches. Just know: you had a life in Lothering, and you will have a life here—a good life. And I’m always here for you, too, prat that you are.”

Carver finished wiping his eyes and clapped his hands on Aveline’s shoulders, turning to leave.

Aveline’s words caught his ears just as he passed the threshold,

"Oh, and Carver…if you ever try something like that again, I won’t go easy on you."

**Author's Note:**

> As per usual, please let me know what you thought. I hope I did these characters justice, especially the nature of Aveline and Carver both being caring and strong, which isn't as dual as it sounds.  
> If you want to follow me or give me more tips on writings (or prompts), you can write in the comments.


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